Safety appliance for aeroplanes



Dec. 3, 1929. c. H. GUNN 1,738,001

SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR AEROPLANES Filed June 4, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR t. 26621 103 H. G'Lmn ATTORNEY Dec. 3, 1929. c. H. GUNN I 1,738,001

SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR AEROPLANES Filed June 4, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 63E wiles GW Q Patented Dec. 3, 1929 PATENT OFFICE CHARLES E. GUNN, OF SAN FRANCISGO, CALIFORNIA gAI ETY APPLIANCE FOR AEROPLANES Application filed June 4, 1928. $eria1 No. 282,546.

This invention relates to safety devices for aeroplanes, my principal object being to provide a supporting bag structure for the plane so arranged that while it is normally folded 5 and offers no resistance to the air, it may whenever necessary be instantly released by the pilot so as to open out and support the weight of the aeroplane when the latter is out of control and is dropping headlong through the air.

By means of this arrangement, therefore, not only will the lives of the occupants of the aeroplane be safeguarded without the need of their leaving the plane with individual 1 parachutes in the event of accident to the plane while in the air, but the plane itself Wlll he saved from being wrecked or seriously damaged when it reaches the earth.

A further object of the invention is to produce a|simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly, effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an aeroplane equipped with my improved safety appliance shown in its normal or folded position.

Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the aeroplane dropping and the bag unfolded or outstretched to support the weight of the aeroplane.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the wing of the aeroplane and the folded safety appliance mounted-thereon.

Fig. at is a similar view showing the bag unfolded. i

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section showing the mounting of the bag supporting members.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the bag folded showing its connection to the wing of the plane and to the supporting members.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section showing the adjustable mounting of the stabilizing air tunnel members.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the numeral 1 denotes the body or fuselage of an aeroplane of the standard monop'lane type, having the usual single Wing 52 extending across the body. I

Auxiliary and relatively small wing sections 3 are disposed above the wing 2 along the forward edge thereof, and extending from the side edges of said wing transversely for about a quarter of the width of the main wing. These wing sections 3 are each supported from the main wing by a plurality of transversely spaced and longitudinally extendin partitions 4., so that longitudinal tunnels wil be formed by the wing surfaces 2 and 3. These tunnels aid in stabilizing the plane when the same is falling, since they will catch a certain amount of air and will tend to prevent twisting or turning of the plane when the nose of the same is pointed down. The setting of the auxiliary wings relative to the main wing may be adjusted by making the partitions 4 of the telescopic nature, capable of both longitudinal and vertical adjustment and connecting the parts by bolts 5 as shown in Fig. 7. Thus the angle of the auxiliary wings and their longitudinal positions relative to the main wing may be adjusted to properly balance the plane and give the best results in connection with the safety bag now to be described.

Disposed in the space between the auxiliary wings is an upstanding ledge 6 which extends from the front edge of the main wing to the plane of the rear edge of the auxiliary wings. A shaft 7 is disposed transversely of the plane and extends the full distance between the auxiliary wings adjacent the top and forward edge of the ledge.

Fixed on the shaft at intervals along the length thereof are rearwardly extending resilient arms 8, which project some distance beyond the rear edge of the ledge and are provided with yieldable catch extensions 9 at their rear ends. These extensions normally project through eyes 10 which are disposed some distance above and are secured to the main wing. The above recited catch arrangement has been shown for the pur- W pose of illustration only, since any other type of catch which is releasable under pressure may of course be employed.

The bag normally lies between the row of 5 eyes and the rear edge of the ledge and comprises a sheet of fabric 11 of a suitable na ture which is folded over onto itself lengthwise of the plane a sufficient number of times so that its actual length is considerably greater than the distance between the eyes and ledge. This sheet is also preferably provided with ends 12 which are also normally folded and secured to the end edges of the sheet 11. One end of said sheet is diss posed adjacent the eyes 10 and has a stiffening rod 13 pamed therethrough, which is strapped to the wing 2 by staples 1t formed in connection with the eyes. The other end of the sheet lies immediately under the outer 2o ends of the arms 8 and also has a stiffening rod 15 therethrough which is fastened to the arms by suitable means. The seat at its ends is preferably reinforced by a light rope 16 or the like which is folded into the same (see Fig. 2).

.An arm 1? projects upwardly and forwardly from the shaft 7 so as to normally overhang the front edge of the wing and is attached to a pull line 18 which extends into the pilots compartment of the body. Short catch arms 19 project radially from the ends of the shaft 7 and are adapted to automatically engage catches 20 fixed on the wing after said arms 8 have been swung upwardly and forwardly a certain arcuate extent from their normal rearward positions.

In operation it will be seen that the bag being normally folded and disposed behind the ledge offers no resistance to the air and there is no tendency for the same to open.

Should the aeroplane start to fall nose down,

however, the ilot immediately pulls on the line 18. The initial pull causes a bowing of the arms 8 which results in the catch members 9 bein retracted and released from the eyes 10. nce released the arms will tend to spring up and aided by a continued pull on the line 18, will almost immediately assume positions so that the catch arms 19 will engage the catches 20, preventing a retractive movement of the arms 8. When the arms are in this position the canvas sheet will be pulled to an unfolded or bag-like prosition which is open to the bottom and in out of the The air then rushing into the bag of course resists the falling of the aeroplane and prevents the same from dropping with such rapidity as to endanger the lives of the occupants and wrecking the machine. After the safety bag has been once used it must be folded again by hand.

The nature of my apparatus as will be evident is such that it may either be incororated in an aeroplane when the same is ing built or it may be applied as an attachment to one already built and in operation.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein. I lVhile this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention,

7 as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention What I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A safety appliance for an aeroplane comprising a sheet of fabric normally folded lengthwise of the aeroplane in superimposed layers on top of the wing thereof, means connecting the lower transversely extending edge of the fabric to the wing, arms pivoted in connection with the wing in front ofthe folded fabric and extending rearwardly over the upper-most layer thereof, means connecting the upper edge of the fabric to said arms, means normally holding the arms against upward and forward swinging movement, and means; for pulling said arms upwardly whereby to cause the sheet to be unfolded.

2.. A structure as in claim 1, with means for then holding said arms against retractive movement.

3. A safety appliance for aeroplanes comprising a sheet of fabric normally folded lengthwise of the aeroplane in superimposed layers on top of a wing thereof; the folds being arranged so that the upper and lower transverse edges of the folded sheet lie in common vertical alinement toward the rear of the wing, means securing the lower edge to the wing, arms pivoted on the wing adjacent the forward edge thereof and extending rearwardly and over the folded fabric to the rear end thereof, a rigid element along and secured to the upper rear edge of the fabric and to which the arms are secured, and means for swinging the arms upwardly about their pivots whereby to move the upper edge of the fabric both upwardly and forwardly to cause said fabric to be unfolded.

4. In an aeroplane, having a body and a wing, stabilizing means on the wing comprising auxiliary wing sections disposed along and above the forward portion of the wing and spaced apart transversely of the aeroplane in symmetrical relation to the body, and partitionsextending lengthwise of the body between the wing and wing sections and connected thereto; said partitions forming, with the wing and wing sections, a plurality of air tunnels. 5. A safety appliance for an aeroplane having'a wing, comprising a normally folded fabric sheet secured along its rear edge to the wing rearwardly of the forward edge thereof, means applied to the forward edge of the sheet for unfolding the same and pu 1- ing said forward edge upwardly and forwardly in a manner to cause air pressure then exerted against the sheet from below to belly the sheet coneavely relative to the wing, and foldable end pieces secured to the end edges of the sheet throughout their extent to form end closures for the area covered by the sheet when the latter is outstretched and in con cave form.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CHARLES H. GUNN. 

